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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 4 Hansard (29 March) . . Page.. 1022 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

all areas in which the ACT community - including our Government, our businesses and our community sector - have expertise and experience. There is a model for progressing these relationships.

It is clear from everything that has happened in Canberra that there is huge community support in Canberra for the people of Dili and East Timor. I am raising this concept today because it has come to my attention through a wide range of groups, including members of Amnesty International. It was something I intended to raise with the Amnesty group here at the Assembly. A number of members of this place are members of Amnesty, and there is a parliamentary group. I have not had a chance to do that. When Mr Berry put this motion up today, I thought it was a good opportunity to flag it as an idea for the Assembly to consider.

People from Amnesty International have talked to me, not necessarily representing Amnesty's formal position, although I imagine that Amnesty would be supportive. Individuals from ACFOA, Community Aid Abroad and East Timorese support groups, and of course the people I have spoken to from East Timor, desperately want these kinds of links made with cities. I know that the concept of a city having a relationship with another city, whether we call it a sister city relationship or a friendship city relationship, will work only when we know that the community support and the will are there. That is why this is such an exciting and interesting opportunity for us here. We know that the heart of Canberra is with the people of East Timor. I am just flagging it today in this debate. If members are interested I would suggest that it would be useful to have some meetings with the community groups concerned and with representatives from East Timor when they are here and we could progress it further.

I would like to conclude by quoting Xanana Gusmao, who made the point very succinctly when he said:

I believe with all my heart that many people in the community and, I hope, in this Assembly would want to work to improve the lot of those people who we know have suffered so terribly.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education) (12.10): Might I thank Mr Berry for bringing this motion on. It enables the Assembly to do a number of things. We have not discussed East Timor much and it is appropriate that we do. As Mr Berry quite rightly said, Father Filomeno Jacob will be at MCEETYA later this week.

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move two amendments together.

Leave granted.

MR STEFANIAK: I move:

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